Influence of Mineral Fertilizers and Methods of Basic Tillage on the Yield and Oil Content of Sunflower

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of mineral fertilizers and methods of basic tillage on the yield and oil content of sunflowers in the north of Kazakhstan. The experiment was conducted in the agricultural experimental Station Zarechnoye limited liability partnership with southern thin chernozem soils. Records and observations of the growth and development of sunflowers were carried out using modern methodological recommendations. The used agricultural technique of sunflower cultivation in the experiments was the one recommended for the study area. The authors studied new sunflower hybrids and different variants for the use of mineral fertilizers and methods of basic tillage. The paper concludes that it is important to use new sunflower hybrids Sumatra, Suzuka and Sumiko which achieve yields at the level of 1.34-1.46 c/ha with an oil content of 48.52-48.88%, which is the scientific novelty of the study. The combined use of mineral fertilizers according to the scheme N₄₀P₄₀ in the autumn + N₂₀P₂₀ in spring when sowing + N₁₀P₁₀ fertilizing in the conditions of the study zone increased the yield and harvest of sunflower oil to 1.34 and 0.65 t/ha. The no-till technique improved the biometric and productive yield indicators. In this variant, a high yield of sunflower was obtained (1.31 t/ha) with a high oil content (48.49%) and a higher oil yield of 0.63 t/ha was provided. These improvements in the quality and productivity of sunflower as the main oilseed crop are of significant importance for food security and sustainable agriculture in Northern Kazakhstan.